Air-vent fan for vaults



April 14, 1931. J p w 5 1,800,237

AIR VENT FAN FOR VAULTS Filed May 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 'l:Ziiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiii --iiiiiiiiimmimniiiiimimimiiiniiimmiim 1d IApril 1931- J. P. WILLIAMS 1,800,237

AIR VENT FAN FOR VAULTS Filed May 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedApr. 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN P WILLIAMS, OF MALVEBNE,YORK, ASSIGNOR TO DUPLEX ELECTRIC COM- PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. 3., ACGRPQRATION OF DELAWARE AIR-VENT FAY FOR VAULTS Application filed May25,

This invention relates to air-vent fans for vaults and comprises animproved automatic ventilatmg means whlch is mounted at the inner sideof a vault wall and is operative in relation to an air-vent deviceextending through the vault wall and adapted to be perated from theinside of the vault to provide a direct opening to the exterior of thevault. The purpose of such air-vent devices and means is to enableanyone locked in a vault,

either under burglarious attack or accidentally, to conveniently open upthe air passage afforded by the vent through the wall and thus afl'ordventilating communication with the air outside the vault. While the airpassage thus aiiorded through the opened-up vent in the vault wall willenable a supply of air from the outside in sufficient degree to preservethe life of anyone imprisoned in the vault during a period of time untilreleased,

it is desirable to provide supplementary ventilating means operative inrelation to the opened-up vent to in-take fresh air from outside thevault and exhaust the foul or vitiated air therein, such supplementarymeans being usually an electric fan.

It will be understood that bank vaults, as usually constructed, areair-tight at the interior, and have time-lock closure doors, and

that therefore to preserve life within the vault under closed conditionsit is necessary to provide emergency means for ventilation incommunication with the outside air.

It is the object of my present invention to provide an improvedventilating fan means of the character above indicated, which will beautomatic in relation to any type of airvent means afl'ording whenoperated and opened up an air passage through the vault 40 wall ofsufficient vent area to conveniently and eflectively accomodate andenable the insertion of an intake tube comprised in the fan means andinsertable from the inside ot the vault through said air passage and oflesser diameter than the latter to afford a surplus space for theexhaust through said air passage of the foul air within the vault.

My improvements are further designed to provide ventilating fan means ofthe character set forth which will possess advantages 1928. Serial No.280,528.

in point of simplicity, convenience, economy in construction, ease andcertainty of operation, effectiveness, and general efficiency.

It will be understood that my improved ventilating fan means are adaptedfor efl'ec- 5 tive employment in relation to air-vent passages throughthe walls of all types of vault construction, or large safes, or storagerooms or other compartments, under conditions in which air ventilationwould be required to the no interior in the eventuality of anyone beingimprisoned therein.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a face View of the inside wall of a vault,showing an air-vent means and t5 the improved fan ventilating means inoperative relation thereto and in normal position.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the vaultwall, showing the air-vent means in section and normal closed positionand the improved ventilating fan means in normal relation thereto.

Fig. 3 is'a sectional view corresponding to Fig. 2, showing the air-ventmeans in openedup condition and the intake tube of the fan 7 ventilatingmeans in operative insertion through the air passage.

Fig. 4 is a detail front elevation of the automatic electric switchmeans for mounting the intake tube in normal position.

Fig. 5 is a detail top view of the mechanism as illustrated in Fig. 4:.

Fig. 6 is a detail cross-section on the line 66, Fig 4, showing indotted lines the automatic switch action effected by removal of theintake tube.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the electric circuitconnections with the auto matic switch and fan motor.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the same referencecharacters.

I have herein illustrated, in connection with my improved ventilatingfan means, a preferred form of air-vent means in relation to which thefan means is especially adapted, but it will be understood that myimproved ventilating fan means constituting the present invention isadapted for effective use in re lation to any other type of air-ventmeans which aifords when opened up the desired air passage through thewall of the vault.

Said air-vent means as herein shown forms the subject-matter of myco-pending application for patent, Serial No. 280,527 filed May 25,1928, and comprises an outer casing or sleeve, 18, constituting the maintubular body of the device and extending longitudinally through thevault wall, the interior bore of said casing being substantially ofuniform diameter and preferably unobstructed throughout its main lengthand its interior diameter being of sufficient area (in practice, usuallyapproximately 3") to not only afford an ample air opening for thereception of the intake tube of the fan ventilating means but also toprovide additional space beyond, the intake tube for the exhaust of thefoul air.

Said body casing is suitably an hored within' the vault wall, and isnormally closed up by a. plug member, 19, which extends. longi tudinallywithin the bore of the casing and is carried by a controllingpilot-wheel member, 20, turnably mounted upon the rear or inner end ofthe plug and having a threaded engagement, as at 21, with the bodycasing 18', whereby the plug is held to a tight closure fit within thebore of the casing and is removable by operation of the pilot wheel toenable withdrawal-ofthe latter and the plug as an entirety from thecasing andthus entirelyopen up the air passage, 22, through the vaultwall which is then afforded by the bore of the casing.

My improved ventilating fan means is mounted at the inner face, 26%, ofthe vault wall, and in its entirety in associate relation to thecontrolling pilot, wheel or other means at the inner end of the air-ventclosure plug whereby the latter is removed from the body casing.

Referring to the drawings, 25 designates.

the fan element, which may be of any usual or suitable type orconstruction adapted to operate under the action of; an electric motor.This fan element is positioned in supported connection upon the vaultwall, at the inner face of the latter, its supported connection beingpreferably pivotal, as at 26, to enable the fan element to be swung froma normal position parallel to the vault wall into a position at rightangles to the wall for operative service when thus desired; Extendingfrom the fan element is a tubing, 27, constituting an air passage inconnection with the fan chamber, said tubing being of sufficient lengthto extend from the fixed location of the fan element through the passage22 of the bore of the body casing 18 of the vent means and project whenin use a short distance beyond the outer end ofthe vent passage at theoutside of the Vault wall, to facilitate the intake of the outside airthrough the tube to the inside of the vault under the action of the fanelement.

Said tubing is preferably flexible, as herein shown, though it may be ofany other suitable or adapted character affording convenient operationfor insertion through, the vent passage in the wall of the vault. Thetubing is preferably normally sustained in supported position ready forimmediate and convenient use, and for this purpose it is provided at itsterminal-end orifice with an enlarged head or cap piece, as at 28, whichforms a flange extending laterally with relation to the diameter of thebody of the tube and thus consti tutes a support upon a bracket member30, which is mounted in fixed position upon the inner face of the vaultwall.

In the preferred arrangement of" the foregoing elements, the fan 25 andbracket 3,6) are respectively located a short distance above and atopposite sides, of the pilot wheel Qr controlling ineans which projectsat the inside of the vault and is operative to enable the re lease andremoval of the plug 19 of the vent means, in which relative arrangementthe tubing 27. extends in normal position from the fan elementdownwardly and under and around the pilot wheel or controllingmemberand' upwardly at the Opposite side to the supporting bracket 30,this relative arrangement of the parts being such that immediate andconvenient operation of the ventilating fan means is facilitatedinstantly upon removal of the. adjacent air-vent means The tube-endsupporting bracket embodies an automatic electric switch in circuit withthe fan motor and having a construction in which the switch is in offposition and the circuit open when the tube 27 is in normal position,but is automatically and instantly thrown into on position and thecircuit closed when the tube is withdrawn from its supporting bracketfor insertion in the airvent wall passage.

The preferred construction'of the bracket member,for this purpose,comprises a pivoted latch, 81, operative substantially as a bellcrankleverand of se mental contour conforming to the cylindricalcircumference of the tube 27,. a projective finger-piece, 32, beingprovided at the outer end ofsaid latch member and the inner end of thelatter, as at 33, being extended through and beyond a slot,

3.4, in a stop-wall 35. The automatic operation of the switch-latch inrelation to the insertion and removal of the tube 27 is thus such thatwhen the tube is inserted in the latch and the latter is operated by thefingerpiece 32 to bind the tube against the stop wall 35 the segment ofthe latch encirclesthe 1 major part of the circumference of the tube andthe latter is retained in lockedposition upon the supporting bracketmember 3O with its head-flange 28 resting upon the latch 31. In thenormal' position justdscribed the inner end extension 33 of the latch isin the position in which the switch mechanism is off and the circuit isopen. In the reverse operation, when the tube is withdrawn outwardlyfrom the switch-latch the segmental contour of the latter causes themovement thereof upon its pivot to the position in which the switchmechanism is in on position and the circuit is closed, and thus the fanelement is instantly and automatically started in operation before thetube is inserted through the wall vent-opening.

In the preferred circuit connections of the automatic switch, to effectthe operations just above described, the inner end extension 33 of thelatch 31 is provided with a cam recess, 36, receiving and operativelyengaging the corresponding end, 37, of a pivotally moving contact-piece,38, having at its other end a contact point, 39, which makes and breakscontact between two opposite contact points, 4041, between the linewires or conductors, 4243, of the electric circuit. Thus, when thecontact-piece 38 is operated by action of the switch-latch 31, thecontacts 39 and 40-41 are made and broken to close and open the electriccircuit which controls the automatic operation of the fan element.

The foregoing switch mechanism is preferably enclosed in a suitableboxing, 44, as shown, into which projects the inner end extension 33 ofthe latch 31, and the end of which boxing or enclosure forms thestopwall 35 against which the head portion 28 of the tubing 27 bears inits retention by the latch.

It will be understood that the line wires or conductors 42-43 of theelectric circuit make operative contact with the fan motor, showndiagrammatically at 45, and that they are extended to any suitable oradapted connection with a source of electric energy, such as connectionwith an ordinary electric light circuit.

Beyond said fan motor the line wires are preferably extended, as at464:7, to connection with an electric lamp, 48, mounted inside thevault, preferably over the door thereof, which lamp will be lightedautomatically coincident with the automatic starting of the fan element,and will thus be lighted only when the fan is in operation.

The operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood.Under emergency conditions within the vault, it is only necessary tooperate the pilot wheel or controlling means of the vent-device andwithdraw the closure plug thereof inwardly to open up the vent-passage22 of the bore of the body casing 18, whereupon the end of theimmediately adjacent tubing 27 is withdrawn from its supportedconnection with the switch-latch 31 by merely pulling the tube outwardlytherefrom, in which action the automatic switch mechanism instantlyoperates to close the circuit and start the fan element in operation,and the end portion of the ventilating tubing is then inserted throughthe vent-passage 22 until its outer end is a short distance beyond theouter face of the vault wall. Under the conditions of operation as justdescribed, the fresh air from outside will then be drawn through thetube, under action of the fan, to the inside of the vault andthe foulair therein will be simultaneously exhausted from the interior of thevault through the excess space existing in the air passage 22 beyond theintake tube by reason of the differential lesser diameter of the tubefrom the diameter of the vent passage. My improved fan ventilating meansthus affords a very simple and eifective mechanism which can beconveniently and instantly operated in a simple movement withoutexcessive manual requirements, and which in its automatic operationefliciently serves for the immediate supply of outside air and theexhaust of foul air without necessity for any manual action other thanthat concerned in the insertion of the tubing through the vent passage.

I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself tothe detailconstruction and arrangement of parts as herein shown and described, asit is manifest that variations and modifications therein may be resortedto, in the adaptation of my invention to varying conditions of use,without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention andimprovements. I therefore reserve the right to all such variations andmodifications as properly fall within the scope of my invention and theterms of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent:

1. In an air-vent fan means of the class described, the combination witha vault wall having an air passage extending therethrough and providedwith a removable closure, an electrically-operated fan element sccuredat the inner side of said wall, a flexible tube extending from said fanelement and insertible through said air passage, an electric switchcomprising a segmental latchpiece pivotally mounted with relation tosaid well and operatively engaging a contact piece, said segmentallatch-piece receiving the free end of said tube and retaining it againstsaid wall and being automatically operated by the insertion andwithdrawal of the tube, and an electric circuit for said contact-pieceand fan element.

2. A ventilating device for a vault having a normally sealed opening ofrelatively small diameter through one of its walls, comprising a fanelement permanently mounted on the wall adjacent the inner end of theopening, a flexible air conduit in communication with said fan adaptedto conduct air under the impulse of said fan, a pivoted member tosupportthe end: of the flexible conduit. in inoperatilve position,a-switch to start and stopsai'd 7 fan, said switch being operated bysaid pivoted member so that when the flexible conduit is placed inoperative position, the fan will be operative to cause a current of airthrough the conduit and: means to open the opening to project theflexible conduit there; through. 4

3. Air-vent fan means of the class described, for a vault wall having anair passage extending therethrough andprovidedwith a removable closure,comprising an electrically-operated fan element permanently secured uponthe inner side of said wall adjacent to and at one side of the inner endof said air passage, a flexible tube extending from said fan element andinsertible through said air passage adapted to carry an air currentinduced by said fan, tube-supporting means upon the inner side of saidwall adjacent to the inner end of saidair passage and at the sidethereof opposite to the fan element, said means comprising an electricswitch in circuit with said fan automatically operated to start said fanby the disengage-- ment of the free end of said tube and adapted tostopsaid fan. when the conduitis in normal position. a

4'. Air-vent fan means of the class described, for a vault wall havingan air passage extending therethrough and provided with a removableclosure comprising a fan element secured upon the inner side of saidWall, a flexible tube extending from said fan element and insertiblethrough said air passage toconduot air through said passage; but out ofcontact therewith and switch means upon the inner side of said wall forengaging and supporting said tube in normal position and adapted tostart said fanwhen said tube is removed from normal-position.

5. Air-vent fan means; of the class described, for a vault wall havingan air passage extending therethrough and provided with a removableclosure, the combination of anelectrically-operated fan element securedat the inner side of said wall, a flexible air tube in communicationwith said fan element and insertible through said air passage, anelectric switch havin a latch-piece receiving and supporting the rec endof said flexible tube and automatically operated by the engagement anddisengagement of the tube with said latch-piece, said fan adapted toforce air through said air tube in one direction andthroughthe-surrounding air passage in a different direction.

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

JOHN P. WILLIAMS.

